I can't get over how awesome Tom Waits is. I think he is my generation's Neil Diamond. He writes songs about things I don't understand at all. I be listening to the opening track off this gem and understood the song to be about a war in Bolivia over collard greens. I'm not sure if that is what the song is really about, but his delivery is so silky smooth that you really don't care. He reminds a lot of Josh Groban with his voice. It's very smooth and pleasing. I was on a date with a supermodel from Iowa last week and put this disc on. She got a little mad because she thought she was going to get some love because I put on the mood music. I told her that her love was being delivered later, but to just be quiet and listen to the vocal stylings of the next Bryan Ferry. Weights is one of those artists that it is not cool to like, kind of like telling people you love Mtv now. I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I like Tom Weights more than Chris Deburgh at this point. He's still not Josh Groban or Peter Cincinnati, but he certainly won't make you puke when you listen to him. Get this CD because Tom is neato.

Tom Waits first album of his trilogy is a classic. Its so strange that you will have to listen to it a few times to get the meaning of the record. Some people hate his voice. I love it. He is probably the most unrecognized songwriters of his time. This record also has some great music on it. Favorites include 16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six, Town With No Cheer, Swordfishtrombone,Soldier's Things, and Gin Soaked Boy. The instrumentals and other songs are also good. Highly recommended.

For someone who prefers Waits' singing voice on those big tuneful ballads, this album is a bit of a shock. In The Neighbourhood, although a spectacular example of aforementioned style, is the only representative on Swordfishtrombones. With its beautiful melody line and gripping chorus, it ranks with other Wait greats like Old 55, Saving All My Love For You and I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You.

The rest of the album is an exploration of his talking vocal style, with jazzy or bluesy arrangements providing the backdrop to his Beat poetry. Of the three instrumentals, I prefer Just Another Sucker On The Vine with its lovely interplay between harmonium and trumpet. The gentle Soldier's Things and Town With No Cheer are also lovely ballads, but with a lounge jazz feel.

Many of the songs have a theme of travelling and being out of place and out of time. Swordfishtrombones is certainly a very accomplished album on which Waits honed many of his inimitable styles, but besides Neighborhood I do not find many of the songs personally appealing, thence the three stars. For those of his fans that like his rasping voice and spoken style, this is a five star album.